Marching on
by Anthropomancy
Summary: When Garen and Lux are investigating a rumor of Leblanc replacing Jarvan, something unexpected happens, and everything Garen has been taught will be thrown into doubt. As he finally learns the truth, everything changes, but will it be soon enough?
1. Hanging Tree

This story occurs after the Kalamanda incident, but I threw lore outside the window after that because of character death. The ages are very close to the real thing, tons of research. Lux is about mid 20 to late 20, Garen is about early thirty. First time doing huge fight scenes, I'd be grateful if you reviewed and tell me whether it was on par or not with my other fanfic, what was good, and what could be improved on. Reviews will not be deleted, not even the flame, unless it's just spam.

Credit goes to: Anameshouldbehere and Twisted List for Editing. This chapter will have slight touch ups later.

Garen and Lux marched beside each other, leading the Dauntless Vanguard into Noxian territory. Tensions were high and the argument between siblings earlier this morning did not help either. Garen marched on, with an intense aura around him.

"Luxanna, are you sure these . . . rumours are true? I don't think Leblanc is imitating Jarvan, even if he's been acting strange ever since his return."

Lux sighed, exasperated "Garen, I have complete faith in my spies, if they have bring me information, it will be true."

Garen then saw a mean stare from Lux that said 'we'll talk about this later.'

Garen did not change visibly, but he was sad. Ever since they joined the military, Lux had changed, and they had grown apart. If only they didn't join. . .

He shook his head, he shouldn't be having those thoughts, he was a proud soldier of Demacia, and the leader of the Dauntless Vanguard.

"Stop."

Garen blinked, almost walking into his sister.

"Hold!"

All of his soldiers stopped marching, and awaited instructions.

"This is the spot, the prison should be here somewhere."

Garen looked around, the forest seemly empty, but something was wrong. He felt it, and after years of being a soldier his gut seized.

He turned around, and saw a knife flying at him, he blocked it instinctively. He looked down at the blade. Katerina? No, her blades weren't green. Another projectile came flying, an acid bomb hit his soldiers, and they fell down, screaming. Suddenly, all around Garen, Noxian troops surrounded them, outnumbering them 12-1.

Garen saw this, and swore.

"Form your lines!"

A cackle from the forest, only one person in the world had that laugh. Urgot.

He realized this was a fight he could not win.

"Charge forward!"

Noxian soldiers charged at them, but the Dauntless Vanguard were not fazed, they charged into the enemy lines. Hoping to break down the enemy lines and escape.

As the box closed upon them, Lux got desperate.

Garen saw a red laser, "EVERYONE GET DOWN!"

Not questioning it, the soldiers dropped, and Lux shouted: DEMAC-"

The red laser disappeared, and Garen looked back, a knife through her stomach, pinning her to a tree.

The soldiers got back up, ready to fight again, but Garen didn't see any of this. All he saw, was his little sister, pinned on a tree. Breaking ranks, he charged backwards towards the tree, decapitating all Noxians in his way.

When he finally reached Lux, she gave a grim smile.

"Hello brother. Will you finally call me Lux now?

Garen stood there, transfixed, sorrow in his heart.

"I'm so sorry Lux, I wasn't there to protect you. I wasn't there to stop the military from dragging you into it, and I wasn't here now, protecting you from death."

Lux tenderly placed a hand on Garen.

"It's okay Garen, it's alright, I know you tried, and I know you cared."

Garen cried a single drop of tears, for the first time since joining the military twenty years ago.

"I . . . I can fix this. I will give my life for yours. This… this can work, this must work."

Garen put his hand on Lux's body, but Lux slowly peeled them off.

"I was already dead Garen, this life isn't mine. I died when I joined the military, I'm just living another person's life. This death is an escape, a vacation, one that's overdue." Lux coughed up blood, but she continued. "All I wanted, was to know that you still cared, that someone knew who I really was before I died."

Garen looked at her with more tears slowly crawling down his face.

"Promise me Garen, that you shall never fall to another man's blade, get out of this alive, no matter the cost."

Lux slowly closed her eyes, for the last time.

Garen fell to his knees, dropping his sword. The sounds of war was slowly fading, as every Dauntless Vanguard member was merciless hacked down.

"Why Urgot? Why?"

Urgot gave a wheezing laugh.

"To hurt you."

"This is not right! You should face me in battle, not Lux!"

"You of all people should know that a war does determine who is right, but who is left."

Garen clutched his fallen sword, he picked it up and threw it at Urgot, determined to kill him.

Urgot gave a laugh and left, the sword piercing the ground where he once stood.

About 20 Noxian soldiers remained, the rest followed him.

"Let us go, Jarvan the 4th is next."

Garen looked at his hands, and placed them on the ground.

He saw the enemy soldiers approaching.

Garen whispered in a trembling tone. "If there is any righteousness left in the world, if there are any gods listening, head my call, and let me bring forth justice, if only for one last time."

He felt an unexplainable fury in his chest. His eyes turned gold, he knew this sensation.

"DEMACIA!"

A huge sword came crashing down from the sky, the Noxian soldiers looked up, and a huge explosion wiped them out.

He slowly walked over towards where Urgot used to be.

Garen picked up his sword from where it fell.

"I will have my revenge Urgot, soon."

Garen jogged towards the distant army, determined to catch up, even it was the last thing he did.

Part two soon.


	2. Beware a man with nothing to lose

Urgot soon reached Jarvan the Fourth, he was following Lux and Garen, curious why they left with all of the Dauntless Vanguard into Noxian territory, and why no one had told him.

When Jarvan saw that he was surrounded, he realized it was hopeless, he tried to run, but he was already tired from the day-long trek, and Urgot was more machine than man, he couldn't feel being tired anymore, he didn't even need to sleep.

Jarvan suddenly turned around with a huge shout of "Demacia", he landed in the middle of the Noxian soldiers. They were knocked back and stunned, while Jarvan began a blood bath. "Demacia, get some!"

Jarvan grinned as his battle armour was stained with blood, he was outnumbered, out gunned, isolated, and he knew this would be his last fight, but that just made him want to savour it all the more.

As all the soldiers died in the Cataclysm, he let it fall down, engaging the enemy again.

Slowly but surely, Jarvan was making his way towards Urgot, and the endless soldiers did not seem to faze him at all.

Urgot spoke with a rasp "You realize you cannot defeat us all, right?"

Jarvan grinned, his once golden suit now stained red with the blood of his enemies.

"Then today is a good day to die!"

Jarvan kept up his grin, all the while feeling himself fatiguing. It couldn't last forever.

He suddenly felt a pain in his knee, he dropped, and in an instant, everyone was on him. In a blink of an eye, the Exemplar of Demacia was defeated.

Urgot laughed, "At last, my glory is neigh! After all these years, after all of these obstacles, we are in the same position again my dear Jarvan."

Urgot walked over, about to execute Jarvan, but he realized Jarvan still had that grin on his face.

"What's the matter? Your face froze?"

Jarvan just grinned harder. "It seems Garen is also in the same position again."

Urgot was confused, then remembered what Garen did, he turned around and saw a giant sword swinging at his face.

Garen had jogged for two hours now, hoping to catch up to Urgot, when he saw a huge commotion happening, he sprinted towards it, knowing Jarvan was in trouble.

Garen slammed through the ranks of the soldiers, not sparing the time to kill each one of them, his size bulldozed dozens of them apart, when he saw Jarvan pinned and Urgot about to decapitate him, he felt a sense of déjà vu but ignored it, and swung his sword at Urgot, at the last second he turned and saw the sword. Urgot used his hyper kinetic position reverser and swapped places with an unlucky Noxian soldier, who was promptly decimated. Garen quickly spun, killing all of the soldiers who trapped Jarvan. The Prince leapt up, grabbing his spear off the ground, and the duo was prepared to fight for their lives.

Urgot watched as his troops fell to the Demacian duo, normal foot soldiers didn't stand a chance against Jarvan and Garen. He took out a reserve gun and fired once in the air, praying the gods it would work then busied himself firing and Garen and Jarvan, hoping they'll be slowed down.

Cut, slice, pierce, punch, stab, Garen was a furry of blades, swinging the sword with grace, as if the sword was simply a part of him. Jarvan was behind him, his lance reaching far and wide, each hit swiped across the enemy, and it took three soldiers to block just one of his swings. They were tiring, both Garen and Jarvan wouldn't last too much longer, but Garen had a plan.

"Jarvan, you have to trust me, go for Ur-"

An acid hunter exploded between them, melting at their armour, Garen cursed.

Jarvan did a three sixty with his lance, giving them space momentarily, Garen grabbed Jarvan and threw him towards Urgot, Jarvan landed on top of a soldier then threw his flag and dragon lanced towards it and with a shout of 'Demacia', leapt onto Urgot. When he landed, the impact was so fierce everyone was knocked down and a huge wall of rock formed around them.

"Your time is neigh Urgot!"

Urgot panicked, how did Jarvan get here so quickly? There were at least 15 soldiers in his way!

"How are you here? This can't be happening. . . "

Jarvan stared at Urgot with eyes strong and as cold as steel. "There is only one truth . . . and you'll find it at the point of my lance."

Just at that moment, Katarina shunpoed inside the cataclysm, and channelled her famous Death Lotus, slicing through Jarvan's armour.

Jarvan, bleeding from severe wounds, and tiring from fatigue, fell down on one knee. Urgot laughed, he slowly walked over, seeing the defeated prince.

About to deal the finishing blow, a sudden lance appeared in his stomach.

Jarvan lifted his head, wearing the same fearless grin.

"Let me show you the truth."

Jarvan was then pierced with more daggers, and he fell down. The Exemplar of Demacia was no more.

Garen felt it, felt his friend die. His moral was crushed, everything he cared for was dead, the prince, whom he was protecting, died, his sister, whom he was protecting, died, and he even left the dauntless vanguard to die.

Garen was taught to fight for the cause, but at this point, he didn't even know what the cause was anymore? Why did he fight? For the king? That bastard ordered Lux to be drafted to the military, even though she was screaming and crying while being dragged from her family, and brain washed everyone so that they were okay with it, even he was okay with it at the point, thinking it was a "Necessary sacrifice." It was also certainly not for his family, their parents were assholes who let Lux be drafted, and Lux was dead now.

Garen mindless swung at the enemy soldiers, not noticing many of them starting to back off. His spirit was crushed, his soul broken.

"Yes, the vengeance, it consumes you doesn't it"

Garen felt an alien voice fill his head. "You are pitiful, you lost everything, but all this time, all you ever wanted was a happy family, you believed if you left Lux alone, she'd be happy, now she's dead. You believed Jarvan needed space, and you left him to engage in a fight with Swain alone in Kalamanda. He's dead now."

Garen growled "Get out of my HEAD! You know nothing."

The voice laughed again "I know everything Garen, I am Aatrox, and I have been shedding blood since this world was born, I have killed more people than the population of Demacia! Give in to me, give in to vengeance, make it your cause, and cut away their courage, cut away their blood, cut away their pride, cut away everything!"

Garen dropped his sword and clawed at his head. Feeling an immense pressure inside.

"Give in Garen, you can win this war, just let me in, and feel the vengeance burn."

Garen fell down, the enemy soldiers hesitant, and slowly approached him. One brave soldier lunged with his spear, stabbing Garen through his stomach.

Garen roared with pain, and the distraction was enough, Aatrox entered Garen, giving him a tiny portion of his powers, and Garen was refilled with energy and fury.

With an explosion, the power transfer was complete. Bodies fell from the sky, and blood swirled from the dead bodies, and healed Garen's wound. Garen picked up his sword.

"Yes, fight Garen, they took everything from you, TAKE EVERYTHING FROM THEM!" With that, Aatrox left Garen's body to witness the fighting.

Garen had red eyes, and saw Katarina. He charged at her, and she threw multiple daggers, but not a single of one them stopped him, not feeling the pain. She shunpoed behind him and threw a kick at his head. Garen turned around and smashed his head at her foot, breaking it. With a shout of pain, Katarina fell, and shunpoed away.

"What the hell happened to you Garen? That kick should have knocked you out."

Garen stared at her with red eyes, fury in his heart. "The Darkin's blessing happened, and it demands death."

Garen charged at her, Katarina threw daggers, and then moved in for close combat, as agile as a cat.

Garen anticipated every move, and blocked each hit with unnatural grace, grace only a Darkin could achieve. However, each hit had the force of his signature move, and Katarina could barely dodge them.

Suddenly, Katarina tried to use her broken foot, and stumbled, Garen spun around and leapt up into the air, Katarina tried to block it, but Garen fell down and his sword went through her knives and landed a huge slash across her body.

Katarina spat out blood, knowing she was defeated.

"Where did your honour go Garen? Accepting help from a demon."

Garen regarded her with demonic eyes, for a moment flashing with grief. "Honor did not save them." With a thrust, his sword was imbedded in her heart, and the assassin was no more.

Urgot and Garen stared at each other through the battle field. It was just them left, everyone else was dead, and no help would be coming.

Urgot looked at Garen shocked.

"What . . . the fuck Garen, didn't you two have a thing? Where did your honour go? Where did your compassion go? Where is your moral Garen?!"

Garen laughed, a mixture of his own laughter and Aatrox's laugher.

"War reveals what is within us. . . and the only thing going to be within you is my sword."

Chapter three soon.


	3. A promise kept

Authors note: Editing finished.

Garen marched forward, a trail of blood following him, rejuvenating and regenerating him.

Urgot started to walk backwards.

"Fight, and be remembered as a hero, or die, and be remembered as a coward."

Urgot, realizing running was futile, decided to hold his ground a fight, launching acid hunter after acid hunter.

Garen slowly walked forward, each acid hunter hitting his mark, but it did not faze him, the blood of the dead Noxian troops healed him, and he kept on marching on.

Urgot panicked, he knew Garen was blessed with the Darkin's fury, this was not a fight he could win, nevertheless, Urgot tried.

Garen finally got to Urgot, and began to hack at him, Urgot tried to dodge and block, but he was too slow to dodge, and Garen's blows were had too much power behind it. Urgot stared to leak green goo everywhere, and his weapons were destroyed. Finally, Urgot laid down, defeated.

"Finish me Garen, finish what you started all those years ago!"

Garen gave a cry of fury, and summoned a giant sword, only it was not yellow, it was red. As it crashed down onto Urgot, a shield of yellow wrapped around him, and Urgot heard a woman's voice in his head. And suddenly, he knew what to do, he knew how to get his revenge.

When Garen saw that Urgot was shielded, he tried again with all of his might. He summoned another giant sword to kill Urgot, the shield dissipated, and Urgot activated his Hyper Kinetic Position Reverser.

Garen realized what was happening too late, as his own sword fell upon him with a vengeance. A huge explosion detonated in the landscape, and a cloud of dust fell over both of them. Garen stood up, expecting the Darkin's fury to heal him, but as he weakly stood, he realized the fury was gone, his entire upper body was bruised, some of his bones were broken and fractured and he knew it would only be a while until he died from internal bleeding. He slowly knelt, and then fell down, staring up at the sky. The blue, blue sky, uncaring of his death, uncaring of his suffering, and in the distance, you could hear birds starting to chirp again.

He was at peace.

He realized the world would keep turning, even if he went back on his family, even if he went back on. . . Lux. With a snort of laughter, he realized how idiotic he was to devote his life for the cause, when in reality, he only fought for it because he thought it would protect his family, not tear it apart.

"Garen, what did you do to me?"

Garen looked around spotting Urgot.

"I've got my revenge, I've completed my purpose, why am I unhappy? What did you DO TO ME?!"

Garen ignored Urgot, slowly getting up on his feet, and slowly walking towards the dead bodies of the Dauntless Vanguard.

"I've got my revenge, I SHOULD BE HAPPY! WHAT MAGIC DID YOU USE ON ME?"

Garen kept on walking, ignoring him.

"TELL ME GAREN, TELL ME!"

Garen finally paused, to look at the man who planned all of this death.

"Sometimes the thirst for revenge is a powerful fuel, it can be so powerful it revives you from the dead. But other times, when you burn it, it burns with you, until you're nothing left but a shadow."

Urgot finally fell silent, realizing that ever since he was revived, he's felt nothing but torment, a pale shadow indeed. With a quiet whisper full of despair and regret, he asked, "Then what is love? You own me that much."

Garen slowly trudged on, with a smile. "Love? Love does the opposite, it drains you, but it heals you, it makes you more, it fills the empty gap inside of you."

Urgot slowly nodded, knowing his time was soon. He heard a faint whisper come from Garen, "A great man once told me, War does not determine what is right, but what is left. I believe we could have been friends, had we been in another place, at another time."

Urgot looked at the blue sky, calling his mistakes just being at the wrong place in the wrong time. Yes, he could live with that.

Urgot died with a smile, the first he could remember.

* * *

"You led Lux, Urgot, and Katarina to death for this bet?"

Aatrox chuckled "Perhaps I did, and perhaps I didn't. Perhaps I knew this was inevitable, perhaps I spread the rumor."

"Well, no matter what, I won the bet, Garen gave in to vengeance, and he killed everyone. In the end, it was death he chose, not life, not love. I won."

Kayle glared at Aatrox "One, you cheated when you forced yourself upon him, two, it's not over."

Aatrox was intrigued "How so?"

Kayle pointed towards Garen "Look."

Garen had been walking for four hours, before he finally got to the former Dauntless Vanguard, he shed off his armor in front of the troops, and left it standing, as a show of respect. He could barely get back up, but he slowly dragged himself in front of Lux. With a shaky hand, he wrote in blood: "Here lies Garen and Lux Crownguard. We gave our life to the cause, and yet it never gave back."

He knelt on one leg, and stabbed his sword to the ground. He was in the same position as when he was knighted.

"I didn't break your promise Lux, I fell to no man's blade but my own."

Garen knelt there for what seemed forever, as he finally closed his eyes, and died from a combination of blood loss and fatigue. But there was one thing that could not be mistaken, both died with a smile on their face.

* * *

Aatrox watched impassively as Garen's last words were spoken. "I suppose you won Kayle. By the rules in which we have agreed to, I will join the League."

Kayle nodded, "Maybe you will learn some honour."

Aatrox laughed "Some fight for honour, some fight for glory, it only matters that you fight."

He turned around, with a predatory grin, his eyes piercing right into Kayle's. "But the question is, my dear Kayle, why is it that you fight?"

Author's note.

Wow, I got almost no support as I was writing this, I wanted to stop, but I hate doing anything half arsed. I suppose I won't do any more fight scenes. As proven by the fact I've gotten zero reviews as I write this. I guess I'll try my hand in a short story, whose names are in this chapter.

Finally, I like to thank Anameshouldbehere for editing my story. Go check his story out! It's called Ahri's Warrior.


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